"Gastrointestinal Response to Injury: Canada 2004" will be the fifth meeting in a series of meetings originally entitled "The Cellular and Molecular Basis of Gastroduodenal Mucosal Defense" that have taken place every three years since the first meeting was held at Copper Mountain, Colorado in 1992. The fourth meeting was held at Chateau Montebello, Quebec, Canada, in 2001. The title of that meeting, "Gastrointestinal Response to Injury: Canada 2001," reflected the broader scope of the program, which included topics that were applicable to investigation of gastrointestinal mucosal defense in the intestine as well as the upper gastrointestinal tract. The proposed meeting, "Gastrointestinal Response to Injury: Canada 2004", addresses important and cutting edge topics relevant to diseases affecting the entire luminal GI tract. The program includes three parts each consisting of two separate sessions. Part I examines factors regulating gastrointestinal responses to injury including 1) the mucosal barrier, and 2) the immune system. The second part, agents and mechanisms of gastrointestinal injury addresses 3) NSAIDs, oxidative stress, and other agents of mucosal injury, and 4) microbial-host interactions. Part III addresses manifestations of gut injury and potential to modulate disease outcomes in sessions on 5) healing, repair, and carcinogenesis, and 6) chronic inflammation and its clinical consequences including inflammatory bowel disease. A major goal of this meeting is to provide young scientists with a unique exposure to current research in the field of gastrointestinal responses to injury in an open environment in which they can interact formally and informally with established investigators from around the world. The meeting will also foster interactions among scientists working in different aspects of gastroenteric biology as well as those between basic and clinical investigators. The meeting is supported by educational grants from industry, which will support the costs of the meeting including travel, meals and accommodation for 28 invited speakers and/or session chairs comprised of 8 women, 7 racial/ethnic minorities (including 3 traditionally underrepresented minorities), and several junior investigators. Additional funds are needed to support the costs of attendance for young trainee investigators who otherwise might not have the opportunity to attend such a meeting. The aim of this application is to obtain the funds for travel awards to facilitate the participation of young scientists in "Gastrointestinal Response to Injury: Canada 2004", particularly those with interests in intestinal inflammatory disorders.